Meanwhile, in a Parallel Universe
by ThetownsRory
Summary: I have this friend who is a major Jess/Rory fan and did not like how AYITL ended. I decided to rewrite the end of Fall as a one-shot for her and any other Literali fans out there. I like to imagine that this actually happened in one of those supposed parallel universes. I hope you enjoy!


Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever owned Gilmore Girls or any of the characters from the show, I just like them a lot.

Fall, Take two

Lorelai Point Of View:

"I feel like we should be married already"

"Yesss"

"Right?!"

"Tomorrow's like this big stress filled party that everyone can enjoy but us."

"It'll be fine once we say I do."

"We should have eloped and then had the big dance filled wedding. Then the pressures off."

"Agreed. Steely Dan still would have sucked" That made him chuckle. Elope. Last time we talked about eloping it was an ultimatum. A stupid ultimatum that I should never have given him. But now… Now maybe it's the perfect time. He said it himself, the pressure would be off at the big wedding if we're already married. I bet the reverend is still up...

He can tell my wheels are turning and see's the look in my eye. "What?" He asks.

"It's bingo night."

"So?"

"Reverend Skinner is up offley late on bingo night."

I look in his eyes and he knows exactly where my mind is going. We share this look, and then I

know that I don't even have to say it, he's in.

*They move into the dark living room.*

"Hey kid, wake up."

"More Pizza." She really is my kid.

"No. Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to get married."

"Now? What about tomorrow?"

"We'll get married then too. What about him?" I gesture to Kirk who is sleeping on the floor.

"Let the boy sleep." Luke has a point. Krik is in enough of our stories.

*Drives to town square*

"Reverend!" We bombarded him as he was leaving bingo and I swear he looked scarred.

"Oh no, you guys aren't cancelling the wedding are you?

"No silly. We want to elope tonight."

"Elope?"

"Elope tonight so tomorrow is less pressure."

"So you want to get married tonight and tomorrow?"

"Yes." The three of us agreed loudly and in unison as if we hadn't scarred the reverend enough. He nodded and we all headed to the town square. Sookie, Michelle, Lane, Jess, and April were all waiting for us near a door by the town center. The door had a sign that said "Open me," so I do. I'm the first to walk in and everywhere I look is this magically beautiful fabric that is coming from all directions, forming a path. A the end of the material we walk into the town square that is covered in flowers, lights, and many other decorations. I shoot Krik a quick text telling him how perfect everything is since I know it's time for Petal's midnight snack and he deserves a little praise for what he pulled off. I walk up the gazebo with Rory by my side and someone starts playing the song Reflecting Light. I fight back tears as memories overwhelm me of our first dance together at Liz's wedding to this song, and officially I can say, with not an ounce of doubt in my mind, this is forever. Not just forever, but a joyful, crazy, fairytale forever.

"Did you two want to start with your vows?"

"I'll go first. Lorelai you never cease to amaze me, drive me crazy, get me to go to silly town events, and make me question exactly how your metabolism works. You have always brought me this unique joy that I haven't felt since my mother died. And every time we had a fight or something happened between us I was not a man, but a ball of pure misery, and I think Lane can attest to that. Now finally we get to say I do and be together for as long as we have left and that's all I could ever ask for. Like I told you on our first date, this thing you, me, I'm in, I'm all in."

"Lorelai." As the reverend called my name, I looked around at the faces staring back at me. My best friends, my daughter, Luke's daughter and nephew. They each got us to this point in their own way, whether it was testing our love or not-so-slyly pushing us together. I couldn't help but notice how Jess's gaze kept jumping from Luke and I to Rory. And in that moment I caught him looking at her I could tell he wasn't the same punk who came to my house the first time, but a man who has learned from his mistakes and after all these years, is still in love with my daughter. He looked back at me, and as we locked eyes, it's as if all of the animosity between us vanished into our memories and I turned my focus to my vows.

"Oh boy my turn. Well I would just like to start by saying, I have and always will be a package deal with that beautiful girl over there and you have never, ever had an issue with that. Way before anything ever happened between us you had already accepted her. Whether it was birthdays, breakups, or graduations, you were always there with balloons, chocolate pancakes, and proud tears in your eyes. Heck you even put her writing on the back of your menus. Your commitment to her makes my life and love just that much easier, and easy has always been hard for me to come by. I have faced my fair share of lifes curveballs on my own, but when life throw me you, I was slow to catch on, and yes I thought of this baseball metaphor just for you. Like you said earlier, I can drive you crazy, as it is one of my many talents and I know I'm hard to swallow sometimes...okay most of the time, but you never flinch. Not even when I lie and say I can drive your truck but I can't, or when I buy your father's boat without asking. No matter my crazy idea or how many mistakes I make, you are always there. And today I say thank you and reassure you that I will too, always be there with you.

"Do you Luke Danes, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do."

"Do you Lorelai Gilmore, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I'm in, I'm all in."

"Is that an 'I do'?"

"Way to ruin my one attempt at romance reverend. Yes, I do."

"Then with the power invested in me, I am thrilled to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." And with that kiss, all of our fears drifted into the night sky with the darkness of the past to make room for the hope and light of tomorrow.

*The next morning before the wedding, at the gazebo*

"Steely Dan?"

"I know."

"Who flash mobs to Steely Dan?"

"Luke."

"Luke."

"It's fine. I texted Patty and she's gonna switch it to Karma Chameleon."

"Without telling him?"

"Yeah."

"Oh man that is going to be good."

"Yep."

"Aren't you curious as to what a Steely Dan flash mob would look like?"

"No."

"Me either. So how does it feel?"

"It feels...right."

"Yeah."

"Such a long time getting here. Sometimes it's just a journey, you know?"

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Hey, now that I'm a married lady, maybe you should be one too. You are of age. And then we could do married lady things together."

"What are married lady things?"

"I don't know, like, uh, dying our hair blue, or buying pork chops, bowling? I'm out."

"I don't know, I just thought I'd be the spinster daughter who stays home forever and looks after mama."

"No I've got Krik for that. Let me see, who can we marry you off too? Oh I know, did that nice Pee Wee Herman ever find himself a lady?"

"I'm thinking no is a pretty safe bet."

"You wanted to marry him when you were little, remember?"

"I also wanted to marry Edward Scissorhands, and Jerry Orbach from Law & Order."

"Your tastes ran the gamut." Her phone vibrated and she started reading from the screen.

"Rory, due to our ever-conflicting schedules, I think we should break-up. Take care, Paul."

"Who?"

"I can't believe how I treated him. I suck."

"No you don't. It didn't fit. It needs to fit, believe me. He'll find someone amazing one day."

"Yeah."

"And so will you. Hey, what's going on in there? Are you thinking about Jess?"

"How could you tell that?"

"A mother always knows."

"You didn't know I kissed him at Sookie's wedding."

"Wait, what? You know what, I think we should leave the past where it rests. I think you should go for it with Jess."

"Mom, you have never wanted me with him, what has gotten into you?"

"Anyone who's blind can see he's changed Rory. Do I look blind to you? And he has proven to be a better influence on you then your other boyfriends, like when he convinced you to go back to Yale, and gave you the idea for your book."

"But mom, he doesn't like me like that anymore. He's moved on."

"Um in what universe? Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Do you really think I should drag all of that up again?"

"No dragging. A fresh start. Fresh starts are the best starts. Hey I'm gonna make that into a bumper sticker and get rich!"

"I think I will go for it, he has always been the one who's always there for me. Thanks mom."

"You're welcome sweety. And Rory…"

"Yeah mom?"

"I'm pregnant."


End file.
